After the Crowds Leave: Finding the Post-Kickstarter Ecosystem

Now comes the hard part: Delivering product and turning it into a business.

NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- After launching its Kickstarter project, LIFX Labs got a "tidal wave" of queries from venture capitalists, manufacturers and distributors. Two days later, the team stopped taking money, having reached $1.3 million, which was well above their initial $100,000 request. There is still 26 days to go.

"Some of the biggest tech companies in the world have reached out to us via Kickstarter, and this has given us many more options than we anticipated," said Andrew Birt, cofounder for the smartphone app-controlled LED light bulb. "We didn't expect interest from manufacturers and retailers of the size we're talking to this early, it's a real privilege."

Now the hard part: Delivering product and turning it into a business.

Crowdfunding, most notably using Kickstarter.com, is disrupting the film, videogame, tech gadgets, toys and a slew of other product industries. The funding fever is phenomenal with projects like a modern-day watch attracting $10.3 million!

But this alternative route to investors -- who don't get equity, but rather some sort of reward -- relies heavily on the project creators, who dream up the idea, build the campaign and then social network their souls out. Kickstarter, Indiegogo and others provide the platform, but once it's over it's up to the creator to make sure the products get made and incentives are delivered. With very little help.